


5 Times Ned Suspected That Peter Had A Thing For MJ (Plus 1 Time He Knew)

by stars28



Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: 5+1 Things, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-12-13 19:46:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11767065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stars28/pseuds/stars28
Summary: Y’know Peter, Ned isn’t oblivious.





	5 Times Ned Suspected That Peter Had A Thing For MJ (Plus 1 Time He Knew)

**Author's Note:**

> The Peter/MJ pairing is amazing and I wanted to write something from Ned’s point of view, because he is awesome. Plus, I adore 5+1 time fics. So, I combined all of these ideas into this one fic.

**1: Decathlon Practice.**

It wasn’t like it was unusual for Ned to drift off during decathlon practice, especially when the topic wasn’t his speciality (robotics or computers). He’d usually think about what he’d be having for tea or when he and Peter would next watch Star Wars or if he’d be going round to Peter’s after school.

But this time, instead of thinking about any of that, Ned was observing his best friend. Peter was talking to Michelle, which wasn’t unusual, they were both on the decathlon team after all. What was curious was the look in Peter’s brown eyes. Ned had seen it before – when Peter talked to Liz, you know before she moved to Oregon. He tilted his head to the side in curiosity. Huh. He’d never expected this, except it kinda made sense.

He knew that Peter had liked Liz, had known from the moment he first mentioned the girl in passing at lunch one day, from the sparkle in his eyes. Ned thought that Peter liked Liz partly because she was smart and partly because she was so above him, out of reach. Hell, _he’d_ had a small crush on Liz. He knew what had attracted his best friend to her because those same qualities had attracted him to her as well.

But MJ, as they were allowed to call her (Ned still couldn’t quite believe that, if he was being honest), was so very _different_ from Liz in several key ways. She didn’t voluntarily spend time with people, him and Peter being the exception apparently, she was like, _scary_ smart, not to mention _actually_ scary when she wanted to be, and she nearly always had her nose in a book of some sort. And yet…it did make sense.

“Ned! Come on! We’re done!”

He blinked and shook his head. He grabbed his stuff, shoving it unceremoniously into his backpack, and went to meet Peter by the door so they could walk back together.

* * *

**2: Flash’s Party.**

Ned knew that due to the accelerated metabolism Peter could drink more than him and be fine. They’d tested it out once, when May had been at work, pulling a double shift. They’d been asleep in Peter’s room when she had come home. He’d had his first and worst hangover of his life while Peter bounced around without a single complaint. However, there were a couple of tell-tale signs that Peter was drunk.

The first was the way Peter talked even faster than usual, using more expansive hand gestures. The second tell-tale sign was how Peter’s face would get flushed as he talked.

And he was doing both of them right now, as he talked to MJ. They were sat next to each other on a couch. She didn’t seem to be affected by the alcohol, possibly because she’d only had approximately two beers. Unlike Peter, who’d downed several in the safety of the kitchen with Ned himself as look out, where no one could comment on how he had to have so many before visible effects were seen and heard.

Ned was still jealous about that. But that wasn’t the interesting thing; the truly interesting thing was how his best friend’s face was redder than usual, even taking into account the alcohol. Ned could see it from where he was stood, conversing with some of the other decathlon team members.

Flash’s ‘parties’ usually tended to only contain the decathlon team these days. Either that or Flash held different parties that Ned wasn’t invited to. In all honesty, he was fine with that. He wasn’t exactly the most popular or social of people so meeting with the decathlon team outside of team meetings at school didn’t bother him. He was secure in the knowledge that Peter and, more recently, MJ would stick by him.

He had to admit though, watching Peter get incredibly flustered around MJ, it was a wonder Peter himself wasn’t aware of the _obvious_ attraction he had to MJ. But then maybe he did, and he wasn’t planning on doing anything about it.

Ned then got distracted by Flash doing handstands on the table. He thought that if only Peter would cling to the ceiling like he tended to do at his apartment, then Flash would be well and truly shown up. There’d be no coming back from that.

* * *

**3: Movie Night.**

Being friends with Peter and himself, Ned knew it was inevitable for MJ to finally sit down with them and watch at least one _Star Wars_ movie. He and Peter had argued briefly on whether to introduce her to the originals or the prequels, eventually deciding on the originals because they were just better in terms of story line. The sequels weren’t even considered, due to the fact that the only one out was _The Force Awakens_ and that wasn’t a good way to introduce someone new to the franchise.

“But are we starting with _A New Hope_ , _The Empire Strikes Back_ or _Return of the Jedi_?” Ned asked, chomping on a piece of salted popcorn.

Peter shrugged. He was knelt on the carpet in front of the TV, the six _Star Wars_ DVD’s spread out against the wall. “May as well start with _A New Hope_. It was the first one released.”

“Hmm… True.”  He responded, aware of MJ’s eyes piercing the side of his skull from where she was sat on the floor, leaning back against the couch. He’d offered to go on the floor instead of her, but when she said something about the patriarchy and how men always think that women should be protected and comforted, he’d quickly agreed with her. Ned felt like that was the safest option.

The TV lit up with the classic yellow scrolling text against the starry background as the speakers blared out the theme tune. Ned smiled and made himself comfy on the couch, which he had to himself, seeing as Peter, after putting _A New Hope_ on, had elected to sit on the floor next to MJ, rather than join him on the couch.

He wasn’t complaining – it meant he had the whole couch to himself – but he knew that meant that Peter undoubtedly had feelings for MJ. He wasn’t gonna say anything though; he didn’t want to be killed by the force of Peter’s glare. Plus, it wasn’t his place to say anything. That was Peter’s decision.

* * *

**4: Chemistry Class.**

It seemed to happen in slow motion to Ned, but in reality took no more than half a dozen seconds to occur.

One minute, he was carefully pouring the chemicals into a glass beaker. The next, he was on the tiled floor, lying directly next MJ and Peter.

“Wh-what happened?” He asked, his entire body throbbing in pain.

His best friend looked up from where he’d been crouched over MJ. He moved off her at her insistence and replied easily, “You put the wrong chemical in and the beaker exploded.”

“And you did what?”

MJ cut in here, pushing herself up off the floor. “Peter shoved you to the floor and then me just before it exploded. He has some crazy reflexes.”

Ned laughed – Peter _was_ Spiderman, of course he had superfast reflexes, but he couldn’t say that – and responded, “We should probably get up.”

He pushed himself up with no problem, despite the aching that he could feel settling into his muscles. Ned vaguely heard the teacher say something about the three of them going to the nurse, but he wasn’t concentrating on that. Instead, he was side-tracked on the tender look on Peter’s face as he helped MJ up. He knew the only reason that Peter was able to help MJ up was that she was letting him. Wasn’t that interesting?

“You alright?” Peter said, seemingly unaware of the attention from Ned and the rest of the class.

MJ smiled widely, “Yeah. I’m fine."

Ned was now pretty sure that Peter had feelings for MJ. MJ possibly having feelings for Peter? That was new. **  
**

* * *

**5: Spiderman's Patrol of Queens.  
**

He liked to think that being Peter’s guy in the chair meant that he knew Peter and what kind of bad guys he went after. Bank robberies, people stealing from old ladies, that kind of thing.

But tonight, all Ned saw was the red dot which represented Peter moving steadily along the map, as though he was following someone. He tilted his head to one side and squinted at the street names. Why did they – oh wait. MJ’s route to and from school. Of course.

He spoke into the microphone that he’d connected to Peter’s suit, “Are you just following MJ home?”

_“What?! No. I’m not doing that!”_

“Sure you aren’t. That’s why I’m definitely _not_ looking at the screen which is telling me that you’re doing _exactly that._ ”

_“It’s dark out and I just wanted to… Never mind.”_

“Just don’t let her catch you because if anyone’s going to figure out Peter Parker and Spiderman are one and the same, it’s gonna be MJ.”

* * *

**+1: When Peter Told Him.**

Ned wasn’t surprised when Peter finally told him. They were chilling in Peter’s room, building the latest LEGO model Ned had got in the post. It was almost like old times, before Spiderman and before MJ had entered their lives.

“Ned, I think I like MJ,” Peter said quietly, “As in more than a friend.”

“Maybe you should tell _her_ that.” He responded, not taking his eyes off the model. They were at a critical stage, one wrong move and the whole structure would collapse.

“Dude. I just told you something like, _important_ and shit.”

“Peter, I’ve known for weeks now. I’m just wondering when _you’re_ going to tell MJ.”

His best friend was wide-eyed. “How have you known for weeks?”

“You’re not exactly subtle.”

**Author's Note:**

> When I mention in here that the worst way to introduce someone to the Star Wars movies is to watch the latest one first, I’m basically making fun of myself because that’s exactly what I did.
> 
> Kudos and comments are lovely!


End file.
